Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) what information it has received about (i) any fixed Sheep Annual Premium (SAP) to be agreed by the Agriculture Council of the European Union on 20 November 2001 and (ii) the year in which any such SAP would first be payable, and (b), should any such SAP not be payable in 2002, what plans it has to compensate crofters and farmers for hardship caused by the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

Ross Finnie: I attended the Agriculture Council on 20 November in the expectation that changes would be agreed to the EU sheepmeat regime. Unfortunately, negotiations foundered but there were positive elements contained in the latest Presidency proposal which I have supported and which I hope can be agreed soon in order for changes to come into effect from next year.

  A very important element for Scottish producers was the proposed move to a flat rate premium payable from the year 2002. The rate proposed was 21 euros per eligible ewe, plus seven euros for LFA producers. A national envelope would also be established payable at one euro per ewe which might be targeted to suit particular Scottish needs.

  The move away from a deficiency based calculation will provide producers with more financial certainty about the level of income accruing from this particular source, and it is estimated that SAP payments will increase by around £24 million in respect of 2002 compared with 2001.

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many educational psychologists are specialists in autism, broken down by local authority area.

Nicol Stephen: Data is not collected centrally on the allocation of responsibilities within services or on an educational psychologist’s professional levels of specialist expertise. However, educational psychologists will have an understanding of autism and those dealing particularly with autism will have appropriate training.

Cancer

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact there will be on patient services as a result of the current situation at the Beatson Oncology Unit and the North Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-19754 on 26 November 2001.

Cancer

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19754 by Susan Deacon on 26 November 2001, what assessment has been made of the timescales and efficacy of the measures set out in the report by Mr Tom Divers, Chief Executive of Greater Glasgow NHS Board, relating to the continuity and improvement of cancer services for users of the West of Scotland cancer service.

Malcolm Chisholm: These are issues which will be monitored as the action plan is implemented through local NHS management, the new Beatson Joint Management Board and the Project Monitoring and Review Group.

Cancer

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19756 by Susan Deacon on 26 November 2001, when it expects the first meeting of the West of Scotland Regional Cancer Advisory Group to be held.

Malcolm Chisholm: The first meeting of the West of Scotland Cancer Advisory Group is expected to take place on 20 December 2001.

Cancer

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19760 by Susan Deacon on 26 November 2001, what guidance, advice or instructions it has given to ensure the participation of oncologists and other specialist medical and nursing staff, together with patients, in the West of Scotland Regional Cancer Advisory Group.

Malcolm Chisholm: Guidance on the role, structure and function of Regional Cancer Advisory Groups is set out in NHS HDL (2001) 71 issued on 13 September 2001. This is also available on www.show.scot.nhs.uk.

Cancer

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19871 by Susan Deacon on 26 November 2001, what assessment has been made of the impact of unmet needs on service provision levels of the West of Scotland cancer service over the next 10 years.

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19871 by Susan Deacon on 26 November 2001, what assessment has been made of the impact of unmet needs on service provision levels of the West of Scotland cancer service in relation to the number of general practitioner referrals to the service.

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19871 by Susan Deacon on 26 November 2001, what assessment has been made of the impact of unmet needs on service provision levels of the West of Scotland cancer service in relation to resulting pressures on waiting times for out-patient consultations and for investigative treatments.

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19871 by Susan Deacon on 26 November 2001, what assessment has been made of the impact of unmet needs on service provision levels of the West of Scotland cancer service in relation to resulting pressures on new referral caseloads for oncologists working in the service.

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19871 by Susan Deacon on 26 November 2001, what assessment has been made of the impact of unmet needs on service provision levels of the West of Scotland cancer service in relation to the number of in-patient beds available to the service.

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19871 by Susan Deacon on 26 November 2001, what assessment has been made of the impact of unmet needs on service provision levels of the West of Scotland cancer service in relation to the required numbers of oncologist and specialist medical and nursing staff.

Malcolm Chisholm: NHS Boards are responsible for planning service provision to meet the assessed needs of their resident populations.

  Cancer Scenarios: an aid to planning cancer services in the next decade was published by the Scottish Executive in May of this year. It is available on www.scotland.gov.uk and www.show.scot.nhs.uk.

  First year national and regional cancer investment plans to implement Cancer in Scotland: Action for Change were launched on 6 November 2001. These are also available from the above websites.

  This year, West of Scotland cancer services will see additional investment of more than £5 million, of which £2.4 million is going directly to services in Glasgow.

Cancer

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19871 by Susan Deacon on 26 November 2001, what assessment has been made of the impact of unmet needs on service provision levels of the West of Scotland cancer service in relation to the number of treatment machines currently in service and those planned.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-20412 on 11 December and to the information provided in my answer to question S1W-19750 on 26 November in relation to the on-going radiotherapy equipment modernisation programme.

Cancer

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making towards the targets set for the reduction in deaths from cervical cancer.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive’s headline target is to reduce the age standardised mortality rate from all cancers in people under age 75 by 20% between 1995 and 2010.

  Scottish Cancer Registry data shows that in 1995 the European age standardised mortality rate for cervical cancer in Scotland was 4.6 per 100,000. In 2000 this had fallen to 3.5.

Cancer

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths from cervical cancer were recorded in each year since 1995, broken down by health board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is given in the table.

  


Deaths from malignant neoplasm of cervix uteri1, 
  by health board of residence, 1995-2000 
  






1995 
  

1996 
  

1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  



Scotland 
  

147 
  

138 
  

144 
  

145 
  

122 
  

117 
  



Argyll and Clyde 
  

14 
  

11 
  

16 
  

18 
  

12 
  

7 
  



Ayrshire and Arran 
  

13 
  

10 
  

11 
  

9 
  

13 
  

14 
  



Borders 
  

2 
  

1 
  

4 
  

1 
  

2 
  

3 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

4 
  

5 
  

4 
  

6 
  

1 
  

1 
  



Fife 
  

14 
  

8 
  

13 
  

10 
  

6 
  

15 
  



Forth Valley 
  

8 
  

9 
  

6 
  

13 
  

5 
  

6 
  



Grampian 
  

12 
  

15 
  

12 
  

15 
  

11 
  

9 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

34 
  

27 
  

24 
  

26 
  

22 
  

16 
  



Highland 
  

9 
  

3 
  

5 
  

8 
  

8 
  

4 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

18 
  

16 
  

11 
  

15 
  

14 
  

18 
  



Lothian 
  

9 
  

17 
  

28 
  

16 
  

20 
  

16 
  



Orkney 
  

- 
  

2 
  

- 
  

- 
  

1 
  

- 
  



Shetland 
  

1 
  

- 
  

1 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  



Tayside 
  

8 
  

13 
  

9 
  

6 
  

7 
  

8 
  



Western Isles 
  

1 
  

1 
  

- 
  

2 
  

- 
  

- 
  



  Note:

  1. 1995-99, ICD9 code 180; 2000, ICD10 code C53.

Children's Panels

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many criminal offences committed by children were reported to the Reporter to the Children’s Panel for Edinburgh and what action was taken on each case in each year since 1997.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration is responsible for statistics relating to the children’s hearings system. National statistical bulletins for 1997-2000 are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 16799). I have asked the Principal Reporter to respond with available data on Edinburgh.

Community Learning

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome is of the review of Community Learning Scotland as announced on 21 June 2001 by the Minister for Finance and Local Government in his statement to the Parliament.

Cathy Jamieson: A comprehensive review has been undertaken of the current role of Community Learning Scotland (CLS). This review has included responses from key stakeholders including CLS.

  The Scottish Executive is fully committed to community learning and development as a means of engaging with young people, promoting social inclusion, developing individuals and communities and promoting lifelong learning.

  All of the functions currently undertaken by CLS are required to support delivery of the Scottish Executive’s policy. Strengthening of the youth dimension of community learning is required to reflect its place as one of our priority areas.

  Ministers have decided that CLS’s community learning, adult learning and training, validation and endorsement functions will transfer to Communities Scotland. The youth remit and Eurodesk will transfer to the non-governmental organisation Youthlink Scotland. CLS will cease to exist as an Executive non-departmental public body with effect from 1 April 2002.

  I will work together with the Minister for Social Justice and the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning and other colleagues to ensure we co-ordinate and actively promote all aspects of community learning and development.

  The adult and community learning functions that are transferring to Communities Scotland will be central to the work that the new agency, as part of the Scottish Executive, will be doing to empower communities and to build the capacity of communities to be directly involved in local decisions and the management and delivery of services in their area.

  Scottish ministers are committed to raising the profile of youth issues with emphasis on effective support to practitioners in the field. The remit given to Youthlink is a challenging one and will require the strengthening of links between the statutory and voluntary sectors. I will be seeking views soon on priority areas for development of youth work in Scotland.

  Wendy Alexander, Iain Gray and I are also pleased to announce that a "Development Engine" to help drive forward the Executive’s new initiative to raise levels of adult literacy and numeracy will be created in line with the recommendation in the recent report Adult Literacy and Numeracy in Scotland, within Communities Scotland.

  This will provide a new specialist focus on research and development in adult literacy and numeracy while ensuring effective co-ordination with national developments on community learning in general. Communities Scotland will work closely with a range of bodies and organisations in this regard. Raising levels of adult literacy and numeracy is crucial to promoting community learning and development, and wider goals on social justice and a competitive economy.

Culture

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total visitor attendance figures were at art galleries and museums in (a) 1999-2000, (b) 2000-01 and what the estimated figures are for (i) 2001-02 and (ii) 2002-03.

Dr Elaine Murray: The number of visitors to the National Galleries of Scotland and National Museums of Scotland in 1999-2000, 2000-01 and the first six months of 2001-02 are set out in the table.

  

 

1999-2000 
  

2000-01 
  

2001-02 (Q1+Q2) 
  



National Galleries of Scotland 
  

962,142 
  

1,049,652 
  

684,358 
  



National Museums of Scotland 
  

788,134 
  

1,015,494 
  

680,020 
  



  The Executive has asked the national galleries and museums to include target figures for visitor numbers for forward years in future Corporate Plans. This year’s corporate planning exercise for the national institutions has not yet been finalised so target figures for visitor numbers are not yet available.

  Local galleries and museums are the responsibility of local authorities and information on visitor numbers for them is not held centrally.

Deafblind People

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Community Care Plans currently recognise the needs of deafblind children and adults.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive does not collate the level of detail requested. However, each local authority is required to publish a community care plan which takes a broad view of the needs of vulnerable adults in their area and how they are going to be met. These plans are a matter of public record.

  Community Care Plans link to children’s plans. They cover the transition between adult and children services by taking into account the future needs assessment of children who will turn 18 during the life of the Community Care Plan.

Dental Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are waiting for orthodontic treatment and what the current average waiting times for such treatment are in each health board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: Most orthodontic treatments carried out within hospital and community health settings are undertaken on an out-patient basis. Information on waiting lists and waiting times for such treatments is not collected centrally.

Dental Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18314 by Susan Deacon on 20 November 2001, (a) when the proposals for oral cancer screening will be submitted to the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) and when the CSO is expected to reply and make recommendations, (b) when the Chief Medical Officer's Expert Group on the Health of Older People will end its consideration of means to improving the oral health of older people and make recommendations, (c) when the sub-group on oral health of the elderly will complete its review of issues relevant to improving the oral health of the elderly, (d) what proposals relating to dental health are currently under consideration, (e) how many reviews are currently taking place on dental health issues and (f) how many further proposals will have to be considered or reviews undertaken before decisions are made and guidance issued.

Malcolm Chisholm: An Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland , launched in August 2000, outlined a number of proposals to improve oral health in Scotland, including the health of older people. A number of these have now been carried forward as part of the implementation process. Proposals for oral cancer screening have been submitted to the Chief Scientist Office and are currently under consideration.

  The Chief Medical Officer’s Expert Group on the Healthcare of Older People has completed a review of the issues associated with the health of older people, including oral health. The oral health sub-group has reported to the Chief Medical Officer’s Expert Group. Publication of the report of the Chief Medical Officer’s Expert Group on the Healthcare of Older People is expected early in 2002.

Dentists

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consult with the organisations representing the dental profession on whether there is a need to establish two-year post graduate training availability in all health board areas to encourage graduates to work in all areas of Scotland.

Malcolm Chisholm: Two-year postgraduate training in dentistry, known as General Professional Training (GPT), has been the subject of discussions with the profession on several occasions in the past. It is also regularly discussed with representatives of the dental profession at meetings of the national Dental Committee of the Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education (SCPMDE) and also of the regional Dental Committees of that organisation.

  Postgraduate medical and dental education in Scotland is organised on a regional basis along the lines of the postgraduate medical deaneries. Each region covers several NHS Board areas. All regions in Scotland except one have formal GPT schemes.

Dentists

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance has been given in the last 10 years towards the establishment of a postgraduate training facility for dentistry or towards any other initiative aimed at increasing the level of training opportunities for dental graduates, broken down by health board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: Postgraduate medical and dental education has been managed by the Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education (SCPMDE) on behalf of the Scottish Office/ Scottish Executive since 1993 and is managed on a regional, rather than on an NHS Board basis. Details of allocations to postgraduate dental education by region are only available from 1995-96 and are detailed in the following table.

  





2001-02
£000 
  

2000-01
£000 
  

1999-20001
£000 
  

1998-99
£000 
  

1997-98
£000 
  

1996-97
£000 
  

1995-96
£000 
  



West Region 
  

3,306 
  

3,090 
  

2,944 
  

1,698 
  

1,569 
  

1,469 
  

1,356 
  



South East Region 
  

2,124 
  

2,150 
  

2,062 
  

927 
  

792 
  

763 
  

729 
  



East Region 
  

1,409 
  

1,074 
  

977 
  

624 
  

584 
  

565 
  

466 
  



North/North east Region 
  

684 
  

691 
  

608 
  

326 
  

276 
  

256 
  

193 
  



Total Allocation 
  

7,523 
  

7,005 
  

6,5911


3,575 
  

3,221 
  

3,053 
  

2,744 
  



  Note:

  1. From 1999-2000 the allocation includes the salaries of the trainees.

Digital Hearing Aids

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many digital hearing aids have been distributed by Highland Health Board in each of the past three years.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following numbers of digital hearing aids were drawn off the central Scottish Healthcare Supplies contract by NHS Trusts in the Highland NHS Board area since the contract started in June 1999.

  June 1999 to December 1999 - Nil

  January 2000 to December 2000 - 15

  January 2001 to September 2001 - 32

Digital Hearing Aids

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19413 by Susan Deacon on 9 November 2001, how many digital hearing aids available through contracts negotiated by Scottish Healthcare Supplies have been issued to patients in each year since 1999 and what proportion of all hearing aids issued to patients this represents in each year.

Malcolm Chisholm: The latest figures from Scottish Healthcare Supplies show that for the period from June 1999 up to the end of September 2001 a total of 710 digital hearing aids were drawn off the central contract.

  Digital aids became available via the central contract in June 1999. Since then, the proportion of the total hearing aids issued each year that were digital aids is as follows:

  June 1999 to December 1999 0.5%

  January 2000 to December 2000 0.6%

  January 2001 to September 2001 1.4%

Education

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who the members are of the Review of Educational Psychologists and to whom the review will report and when.

Nicol Stephen: The review is in its final stages and the report will be put to ministers soon. The members are:

  


Eleanor Currie 
  

Chair – Director of Education, East Renfrewshire Council 
  



Gordon Jeyes 
  

ADES – Director of Children’s Services, Stirling 
  Council 
  



Gerry McGeoch 
  

ADSW – Housing and Social Work Services, Clackmannanshire 
  Council 
  



Ian Liddle 
  

ASPEP (Association of Scottish Principal Educational Psychologists) 
  



Fergal Doherty 
  

EIS (Educational Institute of Scotland) 
  



Graeme King 
  

BPS-SDEP (British Psychological Society – Scottish 
  Division of Educational Psychology) 
  



Jane Hook 
  

SEN Parent/Chair of Scottish Society for Autism 
  



Lorraine Dilworth 
  

SEN Parent/ISEA (Independent Special Education Advice) 
  



Patricia Cairns 
  

Headteacher – Firhill High School, Edinburgh 
  



Marie Wallace 
  

Headteacher – Drummore Primary School, Glasgow 
  



Patricia Jackson 
  

Consultant Paediatrician – Community Child Health, 
  Edinburgh 
  



Kay Tisdall 
  

Children in Scotland 
  



Bill Sadler 
  

SSLA (Scottish Support for Learning Association)

Education

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children are currently participating in home-based learning, broken down by (a) local authority area, (b) age and (c) gender.

Nicol Stephen: This information is not yet available. The Scottish Executive has recently undertaken a statistical survey to collect data on the number of children who are educated outwith school. The results will be published later this month and will provide data by local authority area on two groups of children – (1) those for whom education is provided outwith school because they are unable, due to certain circumstances, to attend school, and (2) those educated at home as a result of parental choice. This is the first time that data has been collected on the latter group of children. Age and gender data has not been collected and will therefore not be available.

Enterprise

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the sale of Compound Semiconductor Technologies and why Scottish Enterprise has supported the sale under the terms agreed.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Commercial decisions relating to investment in Compound Semiconductor Technologies are a matter for the founding shareholders of the company, namely Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow, the University of Glasgow and the University of Strathclyde.

Environment

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to local authorities on the control of Japanese knotweed.

Allan Wilson: No specific guidance has been issued. General queries on this topic are received from time to time, from both individuals and organisations, and information is provided to enquirers as required.

  Local authorities already have powers to take action where knotweed poses a threat to the local amenity of an area. Action may also be taken by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) in pursuance of its general duty to "secure the conservation and enhancement of … the natural heritage of Scotland". SNH has recently completed An Audit of Alien Species in Scotland (Review No. 139, SNH, 2001) which provides an assessment of the threat posed by knotweed. The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency has a role in providing guidance on the use of herbicides and the disposal of waste contaminated with knotweed.

  Partnerships involving the above statutory bodies, the owners and occupiers of affected property and other interested parties are therefore the most appropriate mechanism for dealing with specific knotweed problems at a local level. Advice issued by the Executive reflects that position.

Environment

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to implement funding for a national top-up to existing budgets of agri-environmental schemes under Article 51 of the rural development regulation EC 1257/1999.

Ross Finnie: We already pay a higher rate for certain stock removal than is supported by EC co-financing and fund that through a "national top-up".

Environment

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has under the rural development regulation EC 1257/1999 to top-up agri-environmental schemes funds and whether it can do so without securing European match funding to cover the additional funding.

Ross Finnie: Funding for agri-environment schemes is set out in the Rural Development Plan for Scotland which was approved by the EC in December 2000. Any additional funding for measures within the plan, whether state-aided or co-financed, would require the approval of the EC. Article 47(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1257/1999 which stipulates that the Community contribution to co-financed elements of agri-environment schemes shall be 75% in areas covered by Objective 1 and 50% elsewhere.

Environment

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vulnerable zones have been designated under EC Nitrates Directive 91/676/EEC between 1996 and 2001.

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which of the designated vulnerable zones failed to comply with EC Nitrates Directive 91/676/EEC between 1996 and 2001.

Ross Finnie: There are currently two Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) in Scotland, the Balmalcolm NVZ in Fife designated in 1996 and the Ythan NVZ designated in May 2000. However, the UK was been found to be in breach of the directive by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in December 2000. The UK had taken the view that this directive applied to surface freshwaters and groundwaters only where necessary to protect drinking water sources. In the course of proceedings culminating in the ECJ judgement, the UK admitted that this interpretation was wrong and that the directive applied to the protection of all freshwaters on the surface and underground. Work is currently in hand to identify any areas which need to be designated as new NVZs.

Environment

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to improve the nitrate-controlling programmes in vulnerable zones.

Ross Finnie: The EC Nitrates Directive requires that all land draining to waters which are polluted by nitrates must be designated as Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs). An action programme of management measures, such as periods when certain fertilisers cannot be applied, must be followed by farmers in NVZs to limit pollution of surface and groundwaters by nitrates from agricultural sources.

  The first action programme in Scotland came into force in December 1998 in the Balmalcolm NVZ in Fife. A further NVZ was designated in May 2000 in the Ythan catchment. A proposed action programme for the Ythan NVZ, based on the recommendations from the Scottish Agricultural Pollution Group, was put out to consultation on 5 February 2001. A copy of the consultation document has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 17496).

  The proposed Ythan action programme represents a significant improvement of the first action programme. For example, it includes extensions to the periods when slurry manure must not be applied to sandy or shallow soils and requires a fertiliser and manure plan to be prepared and used each year. We have been in discussion with stakeholders about modifications to the detail of these proposals. I expect to make the regulations shortly to bring the action programme into force.

  Written guidance on how to comply with the action programme rules will be provided for all farmers including guidance on CD-ROM for those who wish it.

European Funding

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many projects have been set up using European Structural Funds grants in Renfrewshire in each of the past four years.

Mr Andy Kerr: The total number of projects based in Renfrewshire awarded European Structural Funds grants over the past four years is 180. Projects have been approved under the Western Scotland Objective 2 Programme (European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund), the Urban Community Initiative (ERDF and ESF), Objective 3 and Objective 4 (ESF). The breakdown per year is as follows:

  


1997 
  

36 
  



1998 
  

53 
  



1999 
  

51 
  



2000 
  

40 
  



2001 
  

38 (to date)

European Funding

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been (a) received and (b) approved for (i) Objective 2 and (ii) Objective 3 funding and how many payments have been made in respect of successful applications in each month since January 2000.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information requested is as follows:

  


Western Scotland Objective 2 Programme 
  



Projects received 185 
  

Projects Approved 128 
  



East of Scotland Objective 2 Programme 
  



Projects received 240 
  

Projects approved 199 
  



South of Scotland Objective 2 Programme 
  



Projects received 91 
  

Projects approved 59 
  



Objective 3 Programme 
  



Projects received 1,492 
  

Projects approved 941 
  



Payments made to successful applicants 
  



2001 
  

Objective 2 
  

Objective 3 
  



March 
  

2 
  

66 
  



April 
  

0 
  

56 
  



May 
  

0 
  

47 
  



June 
  

3 
  

152 
  



July 
  

0 
  

102 
  



August 
  

7 
  

72 
  



September 
  

15 
  

42 
  



October 
  

4 
  

84 
  



November 
  

23 
  

74 
  



Total 
  

54 
  

695 
  



  There were no payments made on these programmes before March 2001

Film Industry

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers have met representatives of Scottish Screen since 1 July 1999 and on which occasions.

Mike Watson: My predecessor, Allan Wilson, met representatives of Scottish Screen in May and October this year to discuss their programme of work. In addition, the following ministers have met representatives:

  Rhona Brankin Opening of Scottish Screen offices, discussion of annual corporate plans

  Nicol Stephen Launch of Scottish Screen partnership with Skillset (National Training Organisation)

  Henry McLeish Launch of Film Locations brochure

  Ms Wendy Alexander Discussion of film studio proposal.

  This does not count attendance at film events, such as those of the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Fisheries

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19427 by Rhona Brankin on 9 November 2001, of the fishing vessels fishing for shellfish within the six-mile limit which were (a) boarded by the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency and (b) reported for prosecution, how many were (i) boarded when at sea, (ii) boarded when alongside a pier, and (iii) lying at a mooring and what fishing methods was used by each boat in each category including (1) diving, (2) fishing with nets, (3) fishing with creels and (4) fishing with dredges in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Ross Finnie: I have asked Mr Paul Du Vivier, Chief Executive of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency to respond. His response is as follows:

  All 1,390 boardings referred to in my previous answer were carried out at sea. The table provides details of the fishing methods used on a year by year basis.

  


Year 
  

Method 
  

Boardings 
  

Prosecutions 
  



1997 
  

Diving 
  

nil 
  
 



Nets 
  

239 
  
 



Creels 
  

72 
  
 



Dredges 
  

59 
  
 



1998 
  

Diving 
  

9 
  
 



Nets 
  

219 
  
 



Creels 
  

107 
  
 



Dredges 
  

77 
  
 



1999 
  

Diving 
  

3 
  

1 
  



Nets 
  

149 
  
 



Creels 
  

38 
  
 



Dredges 
  

27 
  
 



2000 
  

Diving 
  

7 
  
 



Nets 
  

126 
  

3 
  



Creels 
  

65 
  
 



Dredges 
  

47 
  
 



Other 
  

3 
  
 



2001 
  

Diving 
  

2 
  
 



Nets 
  

100 
  
 



Creels 
  

14 
  
 



Dredges 
  

27 
  

1

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why the number of clients seen by Health Visitors has reduced by 49,800 between 1997 and 2000, as detailed on page 7 of the Scottish Community Care Statistics 2000 .

Malcolm Chisholm: The nature of health visiting work has changed and will continue to change in line with the recommendations in Nursing for Health which will involve a more targeted programme of health visiting alongside a wider range of community focused activity.

  Starting Well is delivering a very intensive programme of health visiting within two deprived areas of Glasgow. The impact of that and the implications in terms of additional staff to replicate it remain to be evaluated. In the meantime, it is important to note that much of the intensive activity being delivered in the Starting Well Project is being delivered by community development workers, support workers and nursery nurses. All of this activity would not show up in recorded statistics in health visiting.

  The figures refer to the number of home visits made by health visitors and district nurses. This represents only part of the work that they do. Recent changes in practice has included increased activity in clinical based settings rather than home visits and this is not reflected in the figures. The figures also do not reflect an increasing shift in health visiting practice towards community and group based activities or that district nurses are increasingly working jointly with social work. The increasing complexity and intensiveness of activity carried out by district nurses and health visitors is not reflected in these numbers. The numbers of district nurses and health visitors have continued to increase year by year. There were 21.9 more whole-time equivalent health visitors in 1999 than in 1997. The number of district nurses rose by 141 during the same period. In Nursing for Health, we acknowledged that the current methods of recording activity are inadequate and do not reflect changing practices. Work is on-going to develop a more meaningful means of reflecting community nursing activity based on the development of an electronic primary health care patient record. Further details of proposals will be made public soon.

Health

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what savings will result from the establishment of NHS Highland to replace Highland NHS Board, Highland Acute Hospitals NHS Trust and Highland Primary Care NHS Trust in the current and in each of the next two budgetary years and whether it will place a breakdown of such savings in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Malcolm Chisholm: The establishment of Highland NHS Board as a single forum for strategic leadership is intended to provide for the efficient, effective and accountable governance of health services in the Highlands. It is about encouraging the local NHS to spend better by focusing more on health outcomes and people's experience of the service.

  It will be for Highland NHS Board to determine how best to realise the potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the services it provides. Further details of how it plans to do this should be sought from the NHS Board.

Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17592 by Susan Deacon on 6 September 2001, when it will publish the review by the Chief Medical Officer on the mapping of the relationship between the various bodies with an interest in clinical quality.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Medical Officer held a series of four regional workshops to inform his review of the relationship between the various organisations with an interest in clinical effectiveness. The discussion document Integrating Scotland’s Clinical Effectiveness Organisations issued to inform this process was published on the Clinical Resource and Audit Group’s website at http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/crag/. A formal consultation document will be issued shortly.

Health

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to use the Health Care International hospital in Clydebank in order to alleviate any pressure on health services in the Argyll and Clyde Health Board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: Argyll and Clyde NHS Board is responsible for ensuring that appropriate health care arrangements are made for people resident in the board’s area. Any decision to use independent providers of health care services would be a matter for the board.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what explicit responsibility it or any of its non-departmental public bodies or executive agencies have for monitoring accidental and non-accidental major injury statistics and, if no body has this responsibility, what plans it has to start monitoring such statistics.

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to make the monitoring of accidental and non-accidental major injury statistics a responsibility of (a) NHS Trusts or (b) the proposed unified NHS Boards.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive Health Department has this responsibility in the context of monitoring statistical returns from the NHS generally in order to detect major trends. Other departments and bodies also have an interest, for example, the Health and Safety Executive, the Scottish Trauma Audit Group and NHS Boards.

Health

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether hospitals have a policy of testing for pregnancy all female patients under 16 years of age who attend hospital due to abdominal or stomach pains and, if so, whether it will provide details of this policy, whether it supports the adoption of such a policy, and what guidance or advice it has issued, or plans to issue, to health boards on this matter.

Malcolm Chisholm: We are not aware of any policy of this kind and we would not support its adoption. There will be occasions where it may be clinically appropriate to test for pregnancy, however we would expect this to be conducted overtly in line with the guidance A guide to consent to examination, investigation, treatment or operation ,   which was issued to the NHSScotland in 1992.

  This guidance sets out that a patient has a right under common law to give or withhold consent prior to a procedure being carried out. This is a basic principle of health care and covers all procedures. The guidance does, however, give examples of where a procedure may be undertaken without first obtaining the patient’s consent, for example; for lifesaving procedures where the patient is unconscious and cannot indicate his or her wishes.

Health

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what recommendations it has made to health boards regarding the provision through the NHS of ferrels for crutches.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive has not made any specific recommendations to NHS Boards regarding the provision through the NHS of ferrels for crutches.

  NHS Trusts have a general duty to ensure that all crutches are fitted with ferrels that are in a good state of repair.

  Patients are made aware that if ferrels wear out then the department that issued them has responsibility for replacement.

Health

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive who its representatives will be at the meeting of the EU Health Council in Brussels starting on 15 November 2001.

Malcolm Chisholm: Scotland’s interests at the November Health Council were represented by the UK delegation led by my Whitehall colleague, the Minister of State for Health, who represented all parts of the United Kingdom.

Health

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9585 by Susan Deacon on 25 September 2000, whether there is an adequate supply of radiographers to fill current established posts.

Malcolm Chisholm: The number of qualified radiographers in post in NHSScotland has increased by 4% since 1997. The vacancy rate for qualified radiographers has also increased marginally to 1.1% at 31 March 2001 for posts vacant for three months or more.

  I announced at the Nursing and Midwifery Convention on 19 November my intention to create Scotland's first NHS Centre for recruitment and retention of staff for the whole of NHSScotland as one of a number of measures to address the workforce needs of NHSScotland.

Health

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) how much of the £90 million package announced on 19 September 2001 by Susan Deacon will be made available to NHS Trusts in the Greater Glasgow NHS Board Area for the purpose of writing off debt and (b) how much debt is attributable to each hospital in the area.

Malcolm Chisholm: Greater Glasgow NHS Board received £13,583,000 for the purpose of writing off brought forward accumulated deficits at the following NHS Trusts:

  North Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust £9,491,000

  South Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust £4,092,000

  In addition, the board received £2,150,000 as a contribution towards the extra costs involved in managing winter pressures.

Health

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce the number of deaths resulting from cardiomyopathy.

Malcolm Chisholm: We have made clear that clinicians should be alert to those at higher risk of sudden death because of a significant family history of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. GPs should refer those patients to a cardiologist for investigation.

  Recent scientific evidence suggests that implantable defibrillators may help prevent sudden death in high risk patients, but these findings need to be confirmed. This new evidence has led the National Screening Committee, which advises the UK Health Departments on screening programmes, to commission further work. We will consider the committee’s advice in due course.

  I gave a commitment in the members’ debate on 14 November that we would investigate ways of increasing awareness of the condition within primary care. For those families in which a particularly serious form of the disease occurs, the Scottish Molecular Genetics Consortium is considering the possibility of including tests in its molecular genetics service.

Health

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will direct Tayside Primary Care NHS Trust to ensure that the Eating Disorder Service at Murray Royal Hospital in Perth does not close as the result of any cost cutting measures.

Malcolm Chisholm: It is for the board to consider their position in light of local needs and planned best responses to those needs, against the background of expectation set out in the original Framework for Mental Health and the support group forward agenda which includes specific attention on the creation/expansion of eating disorder services.

Health

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network operates in an independent manner and how it will ensure that it continues to do so.

Malcolm Chisholm: Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) is a network of clinicians and other health care professionals, including all the medical specialities, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, professions allied to medicine, patients and health service management. Although the Scottish Executive Health Department funds SIGN, it is an independent intercollegiate body based at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. There are no plans to alter this arrangement.

Health

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network has provided a single national focus for health professionals.

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how successful the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network have been in providing guidance to health professionals; whether this guidance has been acted upon effectively, and what evidence there is of the clinical and cost effectiveness of this guidance and that patients are accessing the most suitable treatments.

Malcolm Chisholm: The clinical guidelines produced by Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), which are based on the most up-to-date published evidence, are of international renown. One of the accepted strengths of SIGN guidelines, apart from their technical excellence, is the wide professional ownership that follows from the intercollegiate nature of SIGN. So far SIGN has published 54 guidelines.

  Local NHS organisations and clinicians are expected to take the advice in the guidelines and adapt them as local protocols. This advice is also being built into integrated care pathways and managed clinical networks and into the standards developed by the Clinical Standards Board for Scotland.

  SIGN Guidelines therefore make a significant contribution to improving the quality and effectiveness of patient care by ensuring that Scottish clinicians have ready access to a single source of high quality, up-to-date evidence-based advice.

Historic Sites

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its powers and Historic Scotland’s powers are in relation to the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973.

Mike Watson: The powers of the Scottish ministers, in relation to the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 are to designate by order the sites of historic wrecks in Scottish waters (sections 1(1) and 1(2)) and to grant licences to carry out diving and salvage operations on such sites (section 1(5)). Historic Scotland, an agency of the Scottish Executive, advises Scottish ministers and supports them in the exercise of these powers.

Historic Sites

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what input it has into the Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites.

Mike Watson: Officials of Historic Scotland, which is an agency of the Scottish Executive, attend meetings of the Advisory Committee.

Historic Sites

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Article 3 of the European Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage (Revision) will have any implications for independent historical and archaeological associations in Scotland and what steps it will take to ensure that such associations do not suffer any adverse consequences as a result of Article 3.

Mike Watson: Article 3 of the European Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage (Revision) recently signed by the UK Government seeks to ensure that archaeological excavations and prospecting are undertaken in a scientific manner by qualified, specially authorised persons. The most recent summary of the Government’s view was that expressed in reply to a House of Commons Parliamentary Question on 13 July by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport:

  "In broad terms, current measures in place in the UK already meet the Convention’s requirements. The Government does not believe that additional legislation, requiring a licensing system, is necessary to fulfil Article 3. Much archaeological work is already controlled through existing mechanisms. There may be scope for developing a voluntary Code of Conduct for those who wish to undertake archaeological work outside the existing systems of control."

  I believe that there will continue to be an important role for voluntary historical and archaeological associations in Scotland.

Hospitals

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the discharge of all residents in long stay hospitals will be in accordance with NHS Management Executive Letter (1996) 22 or whether further guidelines for NHS Trusts will be issued.

Malcolm Chisholm: The arrangements set out in the 1996 guidance remain relevant in all respects.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether some local authorities do not require the owners of houses in multiple occupation to seek planning consent for houses which are occupied by five persons or less while other local authorities require owners to seek planning consent for houses which are occupied by three persons or over, and if so, what the reasons are for this difference in policy.

Iain Gray: The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Scotland) Order 1997 (the 1997 Order) specifies in Class 9 that, among other things, changes in the level of occupancy of a house between the following groups: a single person, people living together as a family and up to five residents living together, do not constitute development and do not, therefore, require planning permission. Class 9 of the 1997 Order does not, however, apply to flats.

  Beyond the specific provisions of Class 9 of the 1997 Order, it is for planning authorities to consider whether an application for planning permission is required for an increase in the level of occupancy. Determination as to whether an increase in the level of occupancy of a dwelling constitutes a material change of use amounting to development which requires planning permission depends on the impact of that increase on the amenity and environment of the surrounding area. Planning authorities may specify their policies in relation to multiple occupancy in their local plans.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the arrangements for planning consent in respect of houses in multiple occupation.

Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive has no plans at present to change the arrangements for planning consent in respect of houses in multiple occupation, but it will continue to keep the matter under review in the light of experience with the implementation of licensing under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 2000.

Housing

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what new regulations are to be introduced governing the installation of smoke alarms in new build houses.

Iain Gray: Regulations already exist that require the installation of smoke alarms in new dwellings.

Human Rights Act 1998

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Ayrshire and Arran Health Board have refused to prescribe Inflaximab to any patients within their catchment area on the recommendation of an NHS consultant and, if so, whether such refusal infringes a patient’s rights under the Human Rights Act 1998.

Malcolm Chisholm: This is a matter for Ayrshire and Arran Health Board.

  Health boards determine their prescribing policy on new medicines, taking into account local needs and advice from their Area Drugs and Therapeutic Committee. The Scottish Medicines Consortium will provide advice to local Area Drug and Therapeutic Committees about new drugs. In addition, some new medicines will be evaluated by the Health Technology Board for Scotland. The advice of the National Institute of Clinical Excellence is also made available publicly.

  The human rights legislation does not confer a right to treatment.

Human Rights Act 1998

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines have been issued to health boards concerning the psychiatric treatment of detained patients and their rights under the Human Rights Act 1998.

Malcolm Chisholm: No specific guidance has been issued on this issue.

Identity Cards

David McLetchie (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18719 by Mr Jim Wallace on 30 October 2001, what powers it has to introduce legislation for the introduction of compulsory national identity cards.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive could introduce legislation for compulsory identity cards for purposes within the competence of the Parliament, although we have no plans to do so.

Judicial Appointments

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive where and on what date the advertisement for the judicial vacancy arising from the appointment of Lord Gill as Lord Justice Clerk was placed.

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications were received for the judicial vacancy arising from the appointment of Lord Gill as Lord Justice Clerk.

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applicants for the judicial vacancy arising from the appointment of Lord Gill as Lord Justice Clerk were interviewed and on how many occasions.

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the applicants who were unsuccessful at the June 2001 meeting of the interim Selection Board applied for the judicial vacancy arising from the appointment of Lord Gill as Lord Justice Clerk.

Mr Jim Wallace: The vacancy was filled by Mrs Anne Smith, who had appeared before the ad hoc Selection Board, which met in June 2001. The board considered that Mrs Smith was fitted for appointment. In accordance with the procedure laid down by section 95 of the Scotland Act 1998, acting as First Minister I decided to recommend her when this vacancy arose.

Judicial Appointments

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applicants to the June 2001 meeting of the interim Selection Board for judicial appointment (a) were women, (b) were from an ethnic minority, (c) held a degree from the University of Cambridge or the University of Oxford, (d) had an ascendant who holds or has held judicial office in Scotland and (e) attended a State school.

Mr Jim Wallace: There were 17 applications for the vacancies for Senators of the College of Justice advertised in March 2001 (excluding applicants who subsequently withdrew). The breakdown of the applicants requested is as follows:

  


(a) 
  

 13
 4 
  

Male
Female 
  



(b) 
  

 0 
  

Candidates from an ethnic minority 
  



(c) 
  

 5
11
 1 
  

Hold a degree from the University of Cambridge or the University 
  of Oxford
Do not hold a degree from the University of Cambridge or 
  the University of Oxford
Information not held 
  



(d) 
  

 1
16 
  

Has family members who hold or have held judicial office 
  in Scotland
Information not held 
  



(e) 
  

 4
12
 1 
  

Attended a state secondary school
Did not attend a state secondary school
Information not held

Justice

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases have been prosecuted at the High Court of Justiciary in Edinburgh in each year since 1997.

Mr Jim Wallace: The number of persons called to the High Court of Justiciary in Edinburgh in the years 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 were 417, 388, 447 and 375 respectively.

Justice

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-4069 by Iain Gray on 15 November 2001, whether the Lord Advocate was consulted formally on the recent appointments of Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General.

Mr Jim Wallace: The First Minister took account of the views of the Lord Advocate before making a nomination to the Prime Minister.

Legal Aid

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for legal aid in relation to custody/access cases were made to the Scottish Legal Aid Board and how many were granted (a) where both parties were awarded legal aid, (b) where only the party pursuing the access/custody award or variation was awarded legal aid and (c) where only the party resisting the claim for increased access/custody was awarded legal aid, in each of the last three years.

Mr Jim Wallace: This is a matter for the Scottish Legal Aid Board. The information requested is not held centrally.

Legislation

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will establish a consultative committee to consider and report on the registration of same sex partnerships.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has no plans to establish such a committee.

Lifelong Learning

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18838 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 22 November 2001, what specific steps are being taken to assist adults aged between 50 and 65 who have retired early on small pensions and cannot afford leisure course fees.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Most leisure courses delivered in colleges of further education are part-time. Fees for part-time courses can be waived, and the cost reclaimed by the college, where the course is one which is eligible for core funding from the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC) and where the student, irrespective of age, is in receipt of certain state benefits or is on a low income.

  A college may, though, at its own discretion waive the fees of any student on any course, regardless of whether the college is able to reclaim the cost from SFEFC.

  The charging policy on leisure courses offered by local authorities is entirely a matter for them.

Local Government

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities can consult with community councils over the allocation of Common Good Funds and, if so, what action it is taking, or plans to take, to encourage such consultation.

Peter Peacock: Under current legislation, local authorities have stewardship of Common Good Funds and it is at their discretion as to how they consult on these funds.

Medical Research

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been carried out into the effectiveness of clot-busting drugs.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Executive Health Department has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health services and patient care within the NHS in Scotland.

  The National Research Register (NRR) records that there are over 300 research projects in the UK into thrombolytic or clot busting drugs. Of these, 14 are in Scotland, five of which are on-going and are being funded or supported by CSO. Details of these projects are available from the NRR, a copy of which is in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 17404).

Medical Research

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for clinical trials of beta interferon similar to those announced for England and Wales.

Malcolm Chisholm: Along with the Department of Health and the National Assembly for Wales, the Executive is taking part in discussions with the drug manufacturers to consider a range of options under which drugs for multiple sclerosis might be available on the NHS. One option is a "risk sharing" scheme and until these discussions, which are at an early stage, are concluded detailed information cannot be provided.

NHS Funding

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether NHS funding for audiology services will be increased and, if so, at what rate in each year for which estimates have been made.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive is providing substantial additional resources to NHSScotland. The allocations given to NHS Boards increased on average by 5.5% in 2001-02 and will increase on average by 6.9% and 7.8% in 2002-03 and 2003-04. It is for NHS Boards to decide how to deploy these funds on the basis of their assessment of local needs and priorities for investment. In determining local priorities, NHS Boards take account of national priorities and guidance.

Non-Domestic Rates

Mr Michael McMahon (Hamilton North and Bellshill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making towards implementing the proposals contained in Rate Relief for Small Businesses: Consultation Paper , published earlier this year.

Mr Andy Kerr: We will introduce a rates relief scheme for small businesses with effect from 1 April 2003. This scheme has been devised after careful consideration of the responses received to the consultation paper we issued earlier this year.

  An estimated 70% of Scotland’s businesses will benefit from rates relief. For those businesses, rates are a higher proportion of costs than for larger businesses. Our aim is to spread the burden of rates more fairly.

  Rate relief will be available to businesses, occupying a single property with a rateable value up to and including £10,000 as outlined in the table.

  


Rateable Value 
  

Percentage Relief 
  



Less than £3,000 
  

50% 
  



£3,000 to < £4,000 
  

40% 
  



£4,000 to < £5,000 
  

30% 
  



£5,000 to < £6,000 
  

20% 
  



£6,000 to < £7,000 
  

10% 
  



£7,000 £ £10,000 
  

 5% 
  



  Businesses occupying properties with rateable values greater than £10,000, and up to and including £25,000, will pay the standard poundage rate. Businesses occupying properties with rateable values above £25,000 will pay a slightly higher poundage.

  We will also introduce rate relief measures for rural communities which address commitments made in the Scottish Executive’s A Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture document and recommendations made in the Scottish National Rural Partnership’s Report Services in Rural Scotland. In particular, a new rate relief scheme for farm diversification projects; an extension to the existing rural (village shops) relief scheme to singly owned pubs, singly owned garages and shops selling mainly food; extension of agricultural exemption to farm buildings used for machinery rings, contract and share farming enterprises; and exemption of Automatic Telling Machines (ATMs) located in designated rural areas from non-domestic rates. Implementation of these rural rate relief measures will require primary legislation but it is our intention to include provisions in the next Local Government Bill.

Nursing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why 13,300 less clients were seen by a District Nurse in 2000 than in 1999, as detailed on page seven of the Scottish Community Care Statistics 2000 .

Malcolm Chisholm: The figures refer to the number of home visits made by health visitors and district nurses. This represents only part of the work that they do. Recent changes in practice has included increased activity in clinical based settings rather than home visits and this is not reflected in the figures. The figures also do not reflect an increasing shift in health visiting practice towards community and group based activities or that district nurses are increasingly working jointly with social work. The increasing complexity and intensiveness of activity carried out by district nurses and health visitors is not reflected in these numbers. The numbers of district nurses and health visitors have continued to increase year by year. There were 21.9 more whole-time equivalent health visitors in 1999 than in 1997. The number of district nurses rose by 141 during the same period. In Nursing for Health , we acknowledged that the current methods of recording activity are inadequate and do not reflect changing practices. Work is on-going to develop a more meaningful means of reflecting community nursing activity based on the development of an electronic primary health care patient record. Further details of proposals will be made public soon.

Osteoporosis

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to promote better management and treatment of osteoporosis.

Malcolm Chisholm: It is for NHS Boards to determine the services which are required to meet the needs of their local population within available resources. Guidance to help boards devise their strategies for osteoporosis was issued by the Health Department in 1997 in the form of a Scottish Needs Assessment Programme report. This gave the conclusions of a group of experts drawn from within the NHS on suitable measures for the prevention, detection and management of osteoporosis.

Parliamentary Questions

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19734 by Susan Deacon on 20 November 2001, why that answer refers to the answer to question S1W-19012 by Susan Deacon on 8 November 2001 which gives figures on the median waiting times for tonsillectomies at the (a) Royal Alexandria Hospital, Paisley and (b) Vale of Leven Hospital as at 30 June 2001 when S1W-19734 sought this information as at 31 October 2001 and whether it will now provide that information.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information on waiting times for in-patient and day case treatment is compiled on a retrospective basis from patient discharge records and is published quarterly. The latest available information is for the year ending 30 June 2001, and figures for that period were provided in response to question S1W-19012. Information for the year ending 30 September 2001 should be available later this month.

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19833 by Sarah Boyack on 23 November 2001, why the information requested in questions S1O-4059 and S1W-19848 was not provided in the answers to those questions on 8 and 23 November respectively and what the cost of providing each of those answers was.

Lewis Macdonald: Questions S1W-19833, S1O-4059 and S1W-19848 were answered adequately. As the member will be aware, it is not usual to provide details of discussions between ministers and third parties.

  The estimated cost of answering each of the member’s questions is as follows:-

  


S1W-19833 
  

£65 
  



S1O-4059 
  

£120 
  



S1W-19848 
  

£60

Physical Education

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives are in place to encourage the development of swimming lessons for children.

Nicol Stephen: As agreed at the debate on this issue on 24 May, an audit of current levels of swimming provision is under way. A questionnaire seeking a wide range of information has been sent to local authorities and will provide an up-to-date picture of opportunities available for school pupils. Responses are expected early this month. We will announce the findings of this survey and any subsequent action thereafter.

Police

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines have been issued to police forces concerning the stopping of motorists who use hand-held mobile phones whilst driving their vehicles.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has not issued any such guidelines but the then Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions issued general guidance in 1998 on the risks of using a mobile phone while driving, which makes it clear that, if using a mobile phone results in careless or dangerous driving, it can lead to prosecution.

Prescription Charges

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to revise the list of diseases that qualify for an exemption from prescription charges.

Malcolm Chisholm: We have no plans to do so. We will, however, shortly be commissioning research into the evidence available on the patient charging systems and what effect they have on the equity of access for and use of treatment; this research will help inform any future policy decisions on the charging systems.

Prescription Charges

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider adding Crohn’s Disease to the list of diseases exempt from prescription charges.

Malcolm Chisholm: We have no plans to do so. We will, however, shortly be commissioning research into the evidence available on the patient charging systems and what effect they have on the equity of access for and use of treatment; this research will help inform any future policy decisions on the charging systems.

Prison Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19630 by Angus Mackay on 26 November 2001, whether (a) it or (b) the Scottish Prison Service awarded any contract to PricewaterhouseCoopers in relation to the Prison Services Estates Review.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Prison Service awarded a contract (late 2000) on behalf of the Scottish Executive Justice Department to PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Public Appointments

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many councillors from the City of Edinburgh City Council have been appointed to non-departmental public bodies, Social Inclusion Partnerships or other publicly remunerative posts in each year since 1997 and what the (a) posts and (b) remuneration received were in each case.

Peter Peacock: Edinburgh City Councillors appointed to non-departmental public bodies are listed in the table below:

  


Name 


NDPB 


Party political affiliation 


Appt from 


Appt to 


Remuneration 




Iain Whyte 
  

National Galleries of Scotland 
  

Conservative 
  

04/98 
  

03/02 
  

none 
  



Kingsley E F Thomas 
  

Scottish Advisory Committee on Drugs Misuse (declassified 
  1/9/01) 
  

Labour 
  

01/00 
  

12/02 
  

none 
  



Daphne Sleigh 
  

Scottish Homes 
  

Conservative 
  

09/90 
  

03/99 
  

7,464 
  



Elizabeth Maginnis 
  

General Teaching Council For Scotland 
  

Labour 
  

03/93 
  

01/99 
  

none 
  



Donald Anderson 
  

VisitScotland 
  

Labour 
  

12/98 
  

09/05 
  

7,628 
  



Marilyne A Maclaren 
  

Central Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace (Scotland) 
  

Liberal Democrat 
  

12/96 
  

10/01 
  

none 
  



James L Walls 
  

Justice of the Peace Advisory Committee (Edinburgh) 
  

Conservative 
  

03/97 
  

02/03 
  

none 
  



Lesley Hinds 
  

Health Education Board for Scotland 
  

Labour 
  

07/98 
  

03/04 
  

2,118 
  



Moyra Forrest 
  

Justice of the Peace Advisory Committee (Edinburgh) 
  

Liberal Democrat 
  

06/97 
  

05/06 
  

none 
  



Robert Cairns 
  

East of Scotland Water Authority (Chair) 
  

Labour 
  

04/98 
  

03/02 
  

27,025 
  



Historic Buildings for Scotland 
  




12/95 
  

12/01 
  

none 
  



Eric Milligan 
  

Justice of the Peace Advisory Committee (Edinburgh) 
  

Labour 
  

05/99 
  

05/03 
  

none 
  



Brian Houston 
  

VisitScotland 
  

Labour 
  

06/01 
  

06/05 
  

7,628 
  



  Full details of appointments made to health trusts and boards in the Lothian and NHS Borders areas since 1997 were given in the answer to S1W-20382 on 10 December.

  Information on Edinburgh City Councillors who have been appointed to Social Inclusion Partnerships or other publicly remunerative posts in each year since 1997 is not held centrally.

  The Executive has provided a corrected table: see further answer on 4 February 2002.

Public Appointments

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any record is kept of councillors who (a) are nominated for and (b) take up remunerated posts on boards and organisations in local authorities adjacent to their own; if so, whether it will give details of any such nominations or appointments in each year since 1997, and, if not, whether it will establish such a record.

Peter Peacock: The information requested is not held centrally and there are no plans to keep such records.

Public Sector

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many public sector jobs have been transferred to the private sector as a result of a Private Finance Initiative or Public/Private Partnership contract in each of the past five years.

Mr Andy Kerr: This is a matter for the bodies concerned. The information requested is not held centrally.

Public Transport

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-3993 by Sarah Boyack on 1 November 2001, whether it will ensure that Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority, as the promoting authority for the Partick Interchange project, will consult local residents and elected members as well as the groups it has already consulted.

Lewis Macdonald: Consultation on individual Public Transport Fund projects is a matter for the promoting authority, in this case Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority.

  However, I have been assured by the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority that a public consultation exercise is being planned once key legal and contractual issues have been resolved.

Public Transport

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures or legislation are currently in place, or are planned, to facilitate and expedite the obtaining of statutory powers to build light rail schemes.

Lewis Macdonald: At present, any proposals for new railways in Scotland require parliamentary approval at Westminster using either a "light railways Order" under the Light Railways Acts 1896 and 1912 or the powers of the Private Legislation Procedure (Scotland) Act 1936.

  As part of the package of measures for railways devolution, it was agreed that the Scottish Parliament should have legislative competence over the approval of the promotion and construction of new railways in Scotland. To achieve this, the Scottish ministers and the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions have instructed the preparation of a draft Order under section 30 of the Scotland Act 1998. This will involve creating an exception to the reservation of rail transport in the Scotland Act.

  Once the Scottish Parliament has legislative competence over the promotion and construction of new railways in Scotland, parliamentary permissions will be granted using the Parliament’s Private Bill procedure. Guidance for promoters wishing to bring a Private Bill before the Scottish Parliament has been issued and can be viewed at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/official_report/cttee/private-01/gprb-c.htm.

  Arrangements for cross-border projects are already provided for under section 24 of the Transport and Works Act 1992. In these circumstances, railway projects which cross the border are likely to be subject to Private Bill procedure before Westminster.

Rail Network

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19833 by Sarah Boyack on 23 November 2001, whether it will give specific details on whether it has ever been consulted by, or instigated consultation with, the Strategic Rail Authority on the allocation of the UK rail modernisation fund to railway investment projects in Scotland and, if so, whether it will detail in each case when the consultation took place, the project concerned and who instigated the consultation.

Lewis Macdonald: No. As the member will be aware, it is not usual to provide details of discussions between ministers and third parties.

Renewable Energy

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the first supplementary question to question S1O-4155 by Rhona Brankin on 22 November 2001, what stage its discussions with the Ministry of Defence on wind farms in tactical low flying areas have reached.

Ross Finnie: Discussions between ourselves and the Ministry of Defence are at an early stage. It is clearly important that the situation be clarified quickly, although it would be inappropriate to give details of these discussions until we have something substantive to report.

Roads

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many significant upgrades to sections of trunk roads it is currently planning in order to increase capacity.

Lewis Macdonald: Trunk roads are improved to bring benefits of greater safety, improved environmental conditions, a better service to road users, including public transport, and social benefits that flow from better transport. Of the 63 schemes in the motorway and trunk road programme announced for the period to March 2004, 38 will involve road layout or cross sectional changes which will produce some increase in capacity.

Roads

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the snow-and-ice clearing specifications within the BEAR Scotland Ltd trunk road contract.

Lewis Macdonald: A copy of the BEAR’s Winter Maintenance Plan has been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre for reference purposes together with an electronic version of Volumes 3 and 4 of the Operating Companies contract which detail the management requirements and specifications for works including winter maintenance operations. The other volumes contain commercially sensitive information.

  In addition, copies of the Safe Winter Driving leaflet which provide details of the level of service are distributed widely.

Roads

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Amey Highways Ltd or BEAR Scotland Ltd have made any direct contact with journalists, press organisations, MPs or MSPs in respect of the trunk road maintenance contracts; if so, on what date and whether in each case prior permission was sought from the Executive to make such contact, and where within the roads maintenance contracts the Executive is given authorisation to grant such permissions.

Lewis Macdonald: Since October Amey Highways Ltd and BEAR Scotland Ltd have issued media statements and responded to media requests for factual information from Scottish daily and local newspapers, Sunday newspapers, news agencies and broadcast media.

  Two statements regarding collapsed manholes on the M8 were issued to MSPs on 29 October 2001 and 15 November 2001.

  In all cases this contact was made with the prior knowledge of the Scottish Executive. Media requests for information regarding matters of policy or finance continue to be handled by the Scottish Executive.

  The Conditions of Contract allow the Scottish Executive to vary the contracts.

Roads

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-19092 by Sarah Boyack on 12 November 2001, how many (a) individuals and (b) organisations were present at the “Ready for Winter ― Winter Maintenance on Scotland’s Roads” conference at Victoria Quay on 25 September 2001; whether it will provide full details of the agenda under discussion on the day; whether any contractor or contract area was identified as being ill-prepared for winter maintenance obligations on conclusion of the event, and what the names of any such contractors or contract areas were.

Lewis Macdonald: Approximately 100 individuals, representing 42 organisations, were present at the "Ready for Winter – Winter Maintenance on Scotland’s Roads" conference on 25 September 2001.

  The agenda included the following:

  Working with an Operating Company

  A Winter’s Tale; community expectations

  Road User’s Perspective

  NADICS Developments

  Developments in Met Office – Technology

  Winter Maintenance Risk and Liability

  Winter Maintenance Planning and Operation in Norway

  Group Workshops and Discussions

  On conclusion of the event it was agreed that further liaison between the Operating Companies, local authorities and the police is vitally important in order to develop and deliver the best possible service to users of both trunk and local roads.

  Forums to enhance liaison and communications between the Scottish Executive, Operating Companies, local councils and the police have recently been held at Victoria Quay for each of the four trunk road operating company areas. Meetings have also taken place at operational level between representatives of these organisations to discuss winter maintenance plans in detail.

Roads

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the reports by the Performance Audit Group, referred to in Annex E of the Report by the Auditor General for Scotland, The New Trunk Road Contract: An Examination of the Competition for the Maintenance and Management of the Trunk Road Network , will be made publicly available and placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Lewis Macdonald: No. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-20533 on 29 November 2001.

Roads

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria the Minister for Transport and Planning used when considering the validity of objections to the draft orders for the construction of the A1 Haddington to Dunbar Expressway.

Lewis Macdonald: All the objections lodged against the draft orders were considered to be valid.

Roads

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons were for the decision taken by the Minister for Transport and Planning that there was no need to hold a public enquiry relating to the construction of the A1 Haddington to Dunbar Expressway.

Lewis Macdonald: The consideration given by the Scottish ministers’ was contained in their decision letter of 13 June 2001, copies of which have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Roads

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the specifications will be for the construction of access roads for emergency vehicles to the proposed A1 Haddington to Dunbar Expressway.

Lewis Macdonald: Access roads will be provided in both east and westbound directions from Traprain road. They will be designed by the successful tenderer and be of appropriate construction, gated, secured and for emergency vehicle use only.

Roads

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18697 by Sarah Boyack on 30 October 2001, whether the bid for the work on the A1 Haddington to Dunbar Expressway has been accepted and whether the final contracts have been agreed.

Lewis Macdonald: No, the five contractors selected to tender for the work are due to return their bids on 19 December 2001. The award of contract is expected in the first quarter of 2002.

Roads

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18698 and S1W-19839 by Sarah Boyack on 30 October and 23 November 2001, what objections were received to the draft orders for the construction of the A1 Expressway between Haddington and Dunbar.

Lewis Macdonald: A summary of the objections received to the draft orders was contained in the Scottish ministers’ decision letter of 13 June 2001, copies of which have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Rural Development

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many organisations or communities in (a) Stirling district and (b) Clackmannanshire applied for funding in 2002-03 under the (i) Rural Challenge Fund, (ii) Rural Strategic Support Fund and (iii) Local Capital Grants Scheme and how many such applications were successful, for which projects and at what level of funding.

Allan Wilson: The Rural Challenge Fund, Rural Strategic Support Fund and Local Capital Grants Scheme are the three elements which together make up the Scottish Rural Partnership Fund. The fund is operated by an annual bidding process, and the closing date for applications to the 2002-03 round was 12 October 2001.

  An analysis of bids received shows no applications from the Clackmannanshire area under any of the three schemes. The following bids have been received from projects in the Stirling district.

  


Scheme 
  

Project Title 
  

Amount Applied For 
  



Rural Challenge Fund 
  

Lochearnhead Schoolhouse 
  

£34,700 
  



McLaren Community Crèche 
  

£50,000 
  



Falls of Dochart Retirement Home 
  

£50,000 
  



Development of Gartmore House Training Centre 
  

£50,000 
  



Total Requested 
  

£184,700 
  



Local Capital Grants Scheme 
  

Menzies Hall, Fintry 
  

£40,000 
  



Gargunnock Community Centre 
  

£6,500 
  



Kinbuck Village Hall 
  

£30,000 
  



Total Requested 
  

£76,500 
  



Rural Strategic Support Fund 
  

SVA Rural Satellite Capacity Building Project 
  

£30,486 
  



Total Requested 
  

£30,486 
  



  All bids received are currently being assessed and an announcement will be made early in the New Year.

School Transport

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government, or has received, in support of amending existing seat belt legislation in relation to school transport.

Nicol Stephen: The issue of seat belt legislation is a reserved matter.

  The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including legislation on seat belts.

School Trips

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice or guidance is issued by it or on its behalf to state or independent schools on the preparation and requirements of risk assessment in respect of adventure activities in the context of school trips.

Nicol Stephen: The circular issued by the Scottish Office Education Department in October 1994, referred to in the answer to question S1W-18279 on 18 October 2001, stressed the importance of risk assessment by organisers when planning activity visits and noted that detailed advice on risk assessment can be obtained from the Health and Safety Executive.

School Trips

Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18283 by Allan Wilson on 15 October 2001, what the numbers, grades, salaries and career experiences are of Executive staff with responsibility for monitoring and advising on the implementation of recommendations made to state and independent schools by the Health and Safety Commission’s Adventure Activities Industry Advisory Committee concerning adventure activities undertaken during school trips.

Mike Watson: The role of the Adventure Activities Industry Advisory Committee (AAIAC) is to provide advice to the Health and Safety Commission and guidance to the industry and it does not make recommendations direct to schools. Given this, there is no role for anyone within the Executive to monitor or advise on their implementation.

  The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), who provide the secretariat function, publish the AAIAC advice and literature. If that guidance is followed then the industry, and schools, will be complying with the health and safety legislation. It is the role of the HSE to ensure health and safety legislation is complied with.

Schools

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive on which occasions ministers or deputy ministers with responsibility for education have met representatives of St Mary’s RC Primary School, Bannockburn, or St Mary’s RC Primary School, Kildean, Stirling, since 1 July 1999.

Nicol Stephen: Ministers or deputy ministers with responsibility for education have not met with representatives of St Mary's RC Primary School, Bannockburn, or St Mary's RC Primary School, Kildean, Stirling on any occasion since 1 July 1999.

Schools

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive on which occasions ministers or deputy ministers with responsibility for education have met representatives of (a) St Mary’s Primary School, Bo’ness, (b) St Mary’s Primary School, Duntocher, or (c) St Mary’s Primary School, Alexandria, since 1 July 1999.

Nicol Stephen: Ministers or deputy ministers with responsibility for education have not met with representatives of (a) St Mary's RC Primary School, Bo'ness, (b) St Mary's Primary School, Duntocher, or (c) St Mary's Primary School, Alexandria on any occasion since 1 July 1999.

Scottish Arts Council

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive on whose initiative Tessa Jackson left office as Director of the Scottish Arts Council; whether any severance payment has been made to Ms Jackson and, if so, how much the payment is, from which budget it has been made and with whose approval.

Dr Elaine Murray: Ms Jackson’s resignation from the Scottish Arts Council has been a matter for herself and the council. Whilst the terms of the settlement are also a matter for those parties, approval was obtained from Scottish ministers. The costs will be borne by the council’s Operating Costs budget.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, and other environment bodies under its control, consult on any proposals they have with local individuals, community councils and other local community groups.

Allan Wilson: Applications to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) for permits under the various regulatory regimes that it operates must be advertised in at least one local newspaper. Applications are also placed on SEPA’s public register. This allows interested individuals and any local community groups the opportunity to view an application and to make representations to SEPA within a specified period.

  In carrying out its natural heritage functions, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has a statutory duty to take appropriate account of the interests of owners and occupiers of land and local communities. The Executive’s policy statement in March 2001 - the Nature of Scotland - proposes that, when new Sites of Special Scientific Interests are notified, SNH will consult the owners and occupiers of the site, local authorities, community councils and other specified stakeholders about the proposal.

Scottish Qualifications Authority

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there was any delay by the Scottish Qualifications Authority in sending past examination papers for Standard Grade and Higher Still examinations to the publishers of past papers; what steps it took to address any such delay, and how many (a) schools and (b) school pupils were affected by any such delay.

Nicol Stephen: The production of past examination papers is a matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority and we will ask the chair to write to you responding in detail to the points raised.

Shipping

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government regarding the Executive’s range of powers in relation to short sea shipping.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including short sea shipping.

Social Justice

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional measures it intends to implement to eradicate child poverty.

Iain Gray: The Social Justice Annual Report sets out programmes and policies of the Scottish Executive and the UK Government, which will help to move towards our shared goal of ending child poverty in a generation. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-20286 on 23 November announcing the publication of the report. Securing better outcomes and life chances for all children is a key priority for the Executive. We have recently announced the establishment of a new Cabinet Sub-Committee on Children’s Services, to be chaired by the First Minister. In addition, the Scottish Executive announced on 26 November 2001 a £250,000 boost to breakfast service provision in Scotland’s most disadvantaged areas. Breakfast is important for children to help them to concentrate and learn in school as well as meeting their physical needs.

Tourism

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any percentage drop in tourist visitor numbers and, if so, what the drop was in (a) Scotland and (b) each tourist board area between (i) 1999-2000 and 2000-01 and (ii) the equivalent period in 2000-01 and 2001-02 to date.

Mike Watson: The information requested in respect of Scotland will be available shortly. The information requested with regard to Area Tourist Board areas is not held centrally.

Voluntary Organisations

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been granted to the Befriending Network (Scotland) since May 1999.

Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive does not fund this organisation.

Voluntary Organisations

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the benefits are of the befriending and mentoring services offered by the member organisations of Befriending Network (Scotland) and whether it has any plans to ensure the continuation of this umbrella organisation.

Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive has no plans specifically in relation to the Befriending Network (Scotland). However, national voluntary organisations are free to seek financial support from the Scottish Executive’s direct grant schemes. Details of how voluntary organisations can apply for funding can be found in the leaflet A Guide for the Voluntary Sector to Scottish Executive Grants , which is available from the Scottish Executive and the Parliament’s Reference Centre. General advice on funding for the voluntary sector is available from the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations.

Voluntary Organisations

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has carried out into the benefits of befriending and mentoring and whether it has a strategy to ensure the future of befriending and mentoring in the voluntary sector.

Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive has not carried out research into the benefits of befriending and mentoring and does not have a specific strategy to ensure the future of befriending and mentoring in the voluntary sector. However, the Executive recognises that befriending and mentoring are key components of the volunteering opportunities that are available in Scotland. The Executive’s Active Communities Initiative seeks to support and promote volunteering and community involvement generally.